US History Quick Study Guide

A series of flashcards summarizing key concepts and events in US History.

What is the social contract according to Enlightenment thinkers?

The idea of giving up some personal freedoms for government services, such as protection.

What are natural rights?

Life, liberty, and property.

Who is associated with the idea of revolt if a government fails?

John Locke.

What major issue did the Articles of Confederation face?

It was too weak and lacked a President, Executive Agencies, Judiciary, and the ability to tax.

What did the Federalists believe regarding government power?

They wanted a strong national government and believed a Bill of Rights was unnecessary.

What did the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 establish?

Provided equal status for all states and prohibited slavery in territories.

What is the Bill of Rights?

The first ten amendments to the US Constitution that protect individual rights.

What marked the beginning of the Reconstruction era?

The period following the Civil War from 1865 to 1877.

What negative laws were established in the South post-Reconstruction?

Jim Crow laws.

What was one major problem that arose from industrialization in cities?

Bad housing and lack of sanitation.

What legislation was needed to combat monopolies?

Anti-trust legislation.

What was the cause of the Spanish-American War?

Imperialism and the desire to rid Cuba of Spanish rule.

What was the Treaty of Versailles?

The treaty that ended WWI but left many countries unsatisfied and contributed to future conflicts.

What was the US policy after WWI?

Isolationism, avoiding involvement in international affairs.

What event marked the beginning of WWII for the US?

The bombing of Pearl Harbor.

What was the Marshall Plan?

A US plan to help rebuild Europe after WWII.

What was the main strategy of US foreign policy during the Cold War?

Containment of communism.

What significant events occurred during the Civil Rights Movement?

Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965.

What was the significance of the 19th amendment?

It granted women the right to vote.

What effect did the Great Depression have on federal government roles?

Expanded the role of the federal government through FDR's New Deal.

What was the impact of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

It was a significant confrontation between the US and USSR involving nuclear weapons.

What technological advancements occurred from the 1990s to present?

The emergence of cell phones and home computers.

What case overturned 'separate but equal' from Plessy v. Ferguson?

Brown v. Board of Education.

What is mixed economy?

A combination of privately owned and government-controlled businesses.

What did the Dawes Act aim to do to Native lands?

Break up tribal lands for individual ownership.